Honoring Outstanding Commercialization Potential Research
The Mitsui Chemical Awards (MCA) is a prestigious award in the field of research and development, organized by Mitsui Chemicals Group in collaboration with KisStartup in Vietnam. The award aims to honor outstanding research projects with high practical application potential, especially in the fields of science and technology. In 2023, the award was presented to the research project "Nano silver chitosan inhibits bacteria causing bacterial leaf blight in rice" by a research team from Hanoi National University led by Dr. Le Thi Hien.
A New Step in Rice Protection
Bacterial leaf blight caused by the bacterium Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae is one of the most serious problems for rice - the main food crop of Vietnam. This disease can reduce rice yield by up to 74%, causing significant economic and food losses. The research project of Dr. Le Thi Hien's team - Hanoi National University focused on using nano silver chitosan to inhibit the growth of this bacterium, opening up new prospects in protecting rice, increasing agricultural productivity, and minimizing the negative impact on the environment caused by toxic chemicals.
A Thousand Miles Begins with the First Steps
After winning the Mitsui Chemical Awards 2023, the research team has made significant progress in testing this technology. Before participating in the award, the team did not have the funding to conduct small-scale trials, and the project was only limited to laboratory-scale testing. However, thanks to the funding from the award, the team conducted trials on rice over two autumn-winter and winter-spring seasons to answer important experimental questions:
- How does nano silver chitosan inhibit bacteria?
- What is its effect on rice in greenhouse and field environments? What are the differences?
The research team worked closely with experts from Mitsui Chemicals Group to develop a detailed testing plan and continuously update the testing process. The tests showed that nano silver chitosan not only inhibits bacteria but also stimulates rice growth. Specifically, in the first season, bacterial leaf blight did not develop in the winter, and when grown in greenhouses, rice was only infected with some other diseases. In the second season, the team found some concentrations of nano silver chitosan that slowed down the spread of bacteria on rice.
Getting Closer to the "Golden Balance Point" in Cultivation
The test results from the two seasons show that nano silver chitosan can inhibit the bacteria causing bacterial leaf blight without affecting rice growth, providing the project team with more research data to get closer to the "golden balance point" in cultivation. This is an important step, opening up the possibility of widespread application of this technology in agriculture, helping to improve the yield and quality of rice in Vietnam.
Gratitude to Mitsui Chemicals Group
| In an interview with the research team leader, Dr. Le Thi Hien, after 9 months of receiving the award, the research team expressed their gratitude to Mitsui Chemicals. She said that thanks to the program, the team had stable funding and did not have to worry about disbursement or the pressure of updating results like doing reports for sponsors. Mitsui Chemicals Group supported the team a lot in thinking comprehensively to implement the research effectively and reliably, not only to write reports but also to provide practical results for businesses. |  |
Supporting and Accompanying Research Projects with Commercialization Potential
Following the success of 2023, Mitsui Chemicals R&D continues to collaborate with KisStartup to organize the Mitsui Chemicals Open Innovation Vietnam 2024 program series, including the Mitsui Chemicals R&D Collaboration award. The total value of the awards is up to 4500 USD, encouraging all early-stage research projects from universities, research institutes, science and technology enterprises, and independent researchers in Vietnam to participate.
The Mitsui Chemical Awards is not only a recognition of outstanding research but also a motivation to promote science and technology projects with high application potential. The project "Nano silver chitosan inhibits bacteria causing bacterial leaf blight in rice" is a clear demonstration of the support and positive impact from this award. The year 2024 promises to continue to bring new achievements, contributing to promoting sustainable and effective development in research related to science and technology in Vietnam.
>> For information about the Mitsui Chemicals R&D Collaboration Award and how to register, please see here.
>> For detailed information about the award, please see the brochure here.
>> Register to participate here: here
Registration deadline: May 31, 2024 (Extended to June 8, 2024)
